Tonbridge Crime Rate

Tonbridge is a secure built-up area with an overall crime rate of 75.0 per 1,000 people, which is comfortably below the UK average of 91.7. The town maintains a strong safety score of 83/100, reflecting its status as a desirable and safe residential hub within Kent. Recent data indicates a positive trend, with crime decreasing by 5.1% year-over-year. This downward trajectory is a reassuring sign for the community, suggesting that local safety initiatives are proving effective. While Tonbridge is safer than many larger urban centres, understanding the specific patterns of local crime remains important for residents. The following sections provide a detailed breakdown of crime types, trends, and time-based patterns from December 2024 to November 2025.

In Tonbridge, the crime data is dominated by violence and sexual offences, with 987 recorded incidents (25.3 per 1,000 residents), representing 33.7% of all crime. Anti-social behaviour follows with 485 reports (12.4 per 1,000), and shoplifting is the third most common at 409 incidents (10.5 per 1,000).

The overall property crime rate in Tonbridge is 27.7 per 1,000 people. This category includes burglary, robbery, theft from the person, criminal damage and arson, bicycle theft, vehicle crime, and other theft. Within this group, criminal damage and arson (255 crimes) and vehicle crime (127 crimes) are significant contributors. Burglary is relatively low, with only 58 incidents (1.5 per 1,000). For residents, this means that while the risk of a break-in is statistically low, opportunistic property crimes like shoplifting and vehicle-related theft are more frequent. Homeowners should focus on securing vehicles and external property boundaries to mitigate these more common risks.

Tonbridge is currently experiencing a downward trend in criminal activity, with a 5.1% year-over-year decrease in total offences. This reduction is reflected in the monthly data from December 2024 to November 2025, which shows a generally stable environment with occasional fluctuations. The crime rate per 1,000 residents hit a low of 5.4 in February and peaked at 7.2 in May. The spring months of March (7.1) and April (6.6) also showed slightly higher activity, a common pattern as warmer weather often leads to more public interaction. However, the latter half of the year saw a return to lower figures, with October and November both recording a rate of 5.7. This overall decrease suggests that Tonbridge is maintaining its reputation as a safe town, with crime levels consistently trending below the national average. For residents, this is a positive sign of a well-managed and secure urban environment.

How To Keep Safe in Tonbridge

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crimes in Tonbridge, followed by anti-social behaviour. To stay safe in the town's urban environment, it is important to remain aware of your surroundings, especially in busy commercial or nightlife areas.

When walking through the town centre at night, stick to well-lit main roads and avoid shortcuts through less populated areas like the park or riverside paths after dark. If you are using Tonbridge station late in the evening, try to arrange for a lift or use a registered taxi for the final leg of your journey. Keeping valuables out of sight and being mindful of your phone usage in public can also reduce the risk of opportunistic theft.

For homeowners, securing your vehicle is a priority, as vehicle crime peaks during the night. Ensure your car is locked, windows are closed, and no valuables are left on display. Installing motion-activated lighting around your driveway and property perimeter can also deter anti-social behaviour and opportunistic property crime, which are more common in built-up urban settings.

Analysis of crime timings in Tonbridge reveals distinct patterns across different periods. The afternoon (12pm - 6pm) is the peak time for theft-related offences, which account for 46% of crimes during this window, largely driven by the town's retail activity and shoplifting. Morning hours also see significant theft activity (41%). As the day transitions into the evening and night, the nature of crime shifts. Evening hours (6pm - 12am) see a rise in 'other' crimes, including anti-social behaviour, which makes up 57% of incidents. Night-time (12am - 6am) is particularly notable for vehicle crime, which surges to 40% of all offences in this period. Burglary remains a consistent but lower-level threat, peaking slightly in the afternoon and night at 11%. These patterns suggest that while daytime crime is focused on commercial areas, night-time risks are more residential and vehicle-oriented.

In the local regional context, Tonbridge sits between its smaller, more rural neighbours and larger urban centres. Its crime rate of 75.0 per 1,000 is higher than the very low rates found in Hildenborough (28.0) and Bidborough (16.9), which are primarily residential villages. However, it compares favourably to Southborough, which has a rate of 53.6 but is part of a different urban dynamic. Areas like Pittswood report 0.0 crimes, though these are much smaller settlements. For those considering the region, Tonbridge offers the amenities of a larger town with a crime profile that remains significantly safer than the national average, making it a balanced choice for many.

Tonbridge’s property crime rate of 27.7 per 1,000 residents indicates that while the town is safe, property security should not be overlooked. Traditional security systems often fail because they are reactive; a Ring or Nest camera might record a burglary, but it doesn't stop it. For residents seeking true peace of mind, scOS offers a proactive alternative. This AI-powered operating system is designed to prevent crime before it happens. By monitoring all your cameras simultaneously with multi-camera intelligence, scOS identifies threats at the property boundary. It can distinguish between your family, a delivery driver, and a genuine threat, using DVLA vehicle verification to spot suspicious plates. When a threat is detected, scOS doesn't just send a notification—it acts. Autonomous responses like activating lights and speakers destroy the element of surprise, often causing intruders to move on before they even attempt a break-in. In a town like Tonbridge, where vehicle crime and criminal damage are the primary property concerns, this level of perimeter-focused protection is the most effective way to secure your home.